Antinull usage and simulation in data filtering

Abstract

Comparing data items. The method includes accessing a query or command to retrieve data. The query or command includes an identification of a data item, a logical operator and a specialized token. A comparison as defined by the logical operator between the data item and the specialized token is performed. The following illustrates the results of the logical operation on any data item and the specialized token: an equal logical operation results in true, a greater than logical operation results in false; a less than logical operation results in false; a greater than or equal to logical operation results in true; a less than or equal to logical operation results in true; a not equal logical operation results in false; an IN logical operation results in true; and a NOT IN logical operation results in false. As a result of the comparison, the data item may be retrieved.

1 . In a computing environment comprising one or more processors, a method of comparing data items, the method comprising one or more of the one or more processors performing the following:
 accessing a query or command to retrieve data, the query or command comprising an identification of a data item, a logical operator and a specialized token;   performing a comparison as defined by the logical operator between the data item and the specialized token, wherein the logical operator comparison and result is as follows:
 for an equal logical operation any data item compared to specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than logical operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than logical operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than or equal to logical operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than or equal to logical operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a not equal logical operation on any item compared to the specialized token is false; 
 for an IN logical operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is true; and 
 for a NOT IN logical operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is false; and 
   retrieving or not-retrieving the data item as a result of the comparison.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein retrieving the data items as a result of the comparison comprises creating a query compliant with an underlying data store, wherein the underlying data store does not support the specialized token, but where the created query is semantically equivalent to a query including the specialized token. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving user input selecting an option representative of all categories of a data item, and converting that selection to the specialized token. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query or command further comprises a mathematical operator that operates on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the mathematical operator operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query or command further comprises a string operator that operates on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the string operator operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the query or command further comprises an aggregate function which operates over the specialized token and wherein the result of the aggregate function operating over the specialized token is the specialized token. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising configuring a standard value in a user interface to be represented by the specialized token. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising binding a user interface option that selects all user interface options from a set of user interface options to the specialized token. 
     
     
         9 . In a computing environment, a system for comparing data items, the system comprising:
 a data store storing data items;   a user interface, coupled to the data store, wherein the user interface comprises functionality to allow a user to select categories of data items for retrieval from the data store;   a module implemented by one or more processors executing computer readable instructions stored on one or more physical computer readable media, wherein the module is configured to perform a comparison as defined by a logical operator between data items and a specialized token, wherein the operator comparison and result is as follows:
 for equal operation any data item compared to specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than or equal to operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than or equal to operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a not equal operation on any item compared to the specialized token is false; 
 for an IN operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is true; and 
 for a NOT IN operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is false; and 
   a module configured to retrieve or not-retrieve data items from the data store as a result of the comparison.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , a translation module configured to create a query compliant with the data store, wherein the data store does not support the specialized token, but where the created query is semantically equivalent to a query including the specialized token. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a module configured to receive user input at the user interface selecting an option representative of all categories of a data item, and convert that selection to the specialized token. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a module configured to perform operations according to mathematical operators that operate on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the mathematical operators operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a module configured to perform operations according to string operators that operates on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the string operators operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising a module configured to perform operations according to aggregate functions which operate over the specialized token and wherein the result of the aggregate functions operating over the specialized token is the specialized token. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to represent a standard value by the specialized token. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to bind a user interface option that selects all user interface options from a set of user interface options to the specialized token. 
     
     
         17 . In a computing environment, a system for comparing data items, the system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more computer readable media coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more computer readable media storing instructions that when executed by one or more of the processors implement one or more modules;   a module configured to perform a comparison as defined by a logical operator between data items and a specialized token, wherein the operator comparison and result is as follows:
 for equal operation any data item compared to specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a greater than or equal to operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a less than or equal to operation on any item compared to the specialized token is true; 
 for a not equal operation on any item compared to the specialized token is false; 
 for an IN operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is true; and 
 for a NOT IN operation on any set of items compared to specialized token is false; 
   a module configured to perform operations according to mathematical operators that operate on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the mathematical operators operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token;   a module configured to perform operations according to string operators that operates on the specialized token and one or more other data values and wherein the result of the string operators operating on the specialized token and the one or more other data values is the specialized token;   a module configured to perform operations according to aggregate functions which operate over the specialized token and wherein the result of the aggregate functions operating over the specialized token is the specialized token;   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a module configured to receive user input at a user interface selecting an option representative of all categories of a data item, and convert that selection to the specialized token. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a translation module configured to create a query compliant with the data store, wherein the data store does not support the specialized token, but where the created query is semantically equivalent to a query including the specialized token. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a module configured to bind a user interface option that selects all user interface options from a set of user interface options to the specialized token.